• Expose corruption, maladministration and environmental harm with Australia’s leading environmental organisation.
• Temporary position working 30 or 37.5 hours per week (your choice) until December 2025 (parental leave replacement).
• Salary of $99,262 per annum pro-rata plus 12% superannuation and amazing working conditions
• Located in Melbourne (Wurundjeri Country) or Sydney (Gadigal Country). Applications from Brisbane (Turrbal and Yuggera Country) and Canberra (Ngunnawal Country) will be considered.

Who is the ACF?

When it comes to our environment, the Australian Conservation Foundation has been leading the way in protecting our living world for over half a century.

We are the national environment organisation committed to caring for Australia’s unique and beautiful wildlife and natural world. We’re inclusive, non-partisan and funded by the Australian community.

Whether it’s advocating for the Great Barrier Reef, koalas snoozing in big old trees or for strong climate action, our dedicated community of over 700,000 supporters are constantly working to create a world where forests, rivers, people, and wildlife thrive.

What’s the gig?

ACF’s Investigations Unit has a mandate to punch through the opaque and seemingly intractable threats to our environment. Our Investigations Unit works with ACF campaigners, policy experts and the media team to develop and execute long-run primary evidence gathering about environmental damage, corruption and mismanagement.

The role of the Environmental Investigator is to gather primary evidence using forensic, journalistic and academic methods, including field work, data analysis, cultivating networks and freedom of information processes.

The primary evidence obtained by the Environmental Investigations Unit informs campaign work, provides case studies for our advocacy, tells original stories that disrupt traditional narratives, leads to potential litigation, prompts investigations by authorities and keeps the powerful accountable.

About you!

We are looking for someone who is resourceful, tenacious, has a strong sense of integrity and loves to ‘get to the bottom of things’. You will have experience with spatial data, satellite imagery, building and maintaining spreadsheets, and data visualisation.

You will be able to digest complex information from a range of sources (scientific, legal, government or financial information), pull out what is important and turn it into a compelling story or a robust brief of evidence.

You will be able to communicate findings in many ways, from report-writing to TikToks. You will have an indominable curiosity, turn towards unfamiliar subject matter and be willing to invest time and energy into self-directed learning. You will possess strong analytical skills, with a well-tuned dishonesty/obfuscation detector and have the stamina to see a case through to completion.

Why work for us?

You’ll do important work with one of Australia’s most impactful organisations, and with our world-class organisational culture and great team, we guarantee you’ll have fun along the way.

ACF is proud to offer our staff a supportive workplace with excellent conditions, including:

• Genuine flexibility in working hours and location – yes you can work regularly from home
• Four weeks of annual leave a year plus an additional three days off over the end of year period
• A day of “recharge leave” per quarter to spend doing something that fills your cup
• Thirty days of personal leave a year (pro-rata) available to use immediately upon commencement
• Superannuation contribution of 12%
• Access to 6.5 weeks of Long Service Leave after five years of continuous service
• 22 weeks paid parental leave for parents (regardless of who is the birth parent) after 12 months of service
• Ongoing professional development opportunities tailored to your individual career goals
• Regular team retreats so we can plan, learn and grow together
• Access to our Employee Assistance Program and wellbeing support

People are at the heart of everything we do to protect our planet. To achieve the bold change we seek, we must represent the richness of diversity within our communities so that all of us who care about nature can step up and lead.

ACF is committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants. We actively encourage First Nations people, people from CALD backgrounds, LGBTIQA+ people, people with disability and others who have diverse experiences of our world to apply for this opportunity.

Apply now!

View the full position description on our website and attached below.

Applications are accepted via the Apply Now link and must include a cover letter introducing yourself and a resume outlining your skills, experience, and suitability for the role, addressed to Annica Schoo, Lead Environmental Investigator.

Want to have a chat before you click send? You can contact Kaz Kershaw, People & Culture Specialist, on 0422 657 242 with any questions you might have about the role, working at ACF, or if you would like to discuss the recruitment process and alternative ways to participate that meet your needs.

We can’t wait to hear from you!

Applicants must have the right to live and work in Australia to be considered for this job.

As part of ACF’s recruitment process, a criminal background check will be conducted.

We request no agency contact please.